Colorado Officials Call Off Search For Wolf Pup Left Behind After Copper Creek Pack Was Captured

A picture of the suspected fifth wolf pup of the Copper Creek pack. Photo by: Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Conservationists and wildlife advocates are outraged as Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has ceased efforts to locate an abandoned wolf pup, left stranded after their family was captured. Despite reports of the pup on CPW trail cameras in September, the search was discontinued on Thursday, October 10th, leaving many frustrated by the outcome.

CPW cited dropping temperatures as the primary reason for halting the mission, stating that they wanted to prioritize the pup’s safety—yet the outcome still feels like a major failure for those hoping to protect Colorado’s vulnerable wolves.

CPW initially launched the operation on September 30th, spending 19 nights attempting to capture the six-month-old wolf. Using the same techniques that had been successful in earlier phases, they aimed to reunite the pup with their pack and monitor them more closely. However, after weeks of failed attempts, CPW gave up, choosing to stop the effort rather than continue working to secure the pup’s future.

The operation could have been a rare opportunity to safeguard and monitor one of Colorado’s young wolves at a time when their presence remains precarious in the state. Instead, CPW’s abandonment of the mission leaves the pup to fend for themselves in a potentially harsh winter.

While young wolves can survive by hunting small prey, the challenges they face at this stage of development are immense. With no protection or monitoring in place, the young wolf’s future now hangs in the balance.

“We are heartbroken by the separation of this wolf pup from its family. These wolves were set up for conflict. Then they were punished with removal, death—and now separation—because a rancher refused to utilize the nonlethal tools that are available at no cost to Colorado ranchers. We hope CPW remains vigilant in their monitoring to ensure this pup’s safety and eventual reunification with its family,” said Leslie Williams and Samantha Attwood, founding members of The #RelistWolves Campaign.

This failed attempt comes on the heels of an even more controversial decision by CPW: the capture and relocation of the entire Copper Creek wolf pack, including their new pups, which concluded in September. This pack was the first breeding pair of gray wolves to be reintroduced into Colorado in 2023. The wolves were settling into Grand County due to its suitable habitat and abundant prey. Conservationists are alarmed, believing that CPW’s decision prioritizes ranchers over the wolves’ protection.

The state’s wolf reintroduction law was created to restore wolf populations based on sound science while providing ranchers with the financial and logistical support needed for coexistence. But CPW documents suggest that ranchers ignored or refused to implement recommended nonlethal coexistence measures, opting instead to demand the removal of the wolves.

In several cases, livestock carcasses were left exposed in open pits, effectively luring wolves into conflict zones. Rather than holding ranchers accountable for these failures, CPW responded by targeting the wolves, a move that undermines the very principles of the reintroduction program.

On August 30th, CPW captured the father of the Copper Creek pack, a male wolf tagged as 2309-OR. Tragically, he died just days later, on September 3rd. Severely underweight and missing nearly 30% of his body mass, his death cast a shadow over the agency’s entire handling of the wolf reintroduction effort.

Although CPW has not revealed the cause of the wolf’s injuries, the loss of this male wolf, along with failed capture efforts and the relocation of his pack, has deeply upset those advocating for the species’ recovery in Colorado. These setbacks have left a lingering sense of frustration among individuals committed to the wolves’ return and conservation in the region.

As winter approaches, the remaining members of the Copper Creek Pack face an uncertain future, and the state’s wolf reintroduction program seems increasingly at odds with the goal of fostering true coexistence.

CPW may continue to monitor trail cameras, but this offers little comfort to those who had hoped the agency would take stronger action to protect these wolves rather than bowing to external pressures.

CPW is asking members of the public in Grand County and Summit County to report any potential sightings of the pup by calling the CPW Hot Sulphur Springs Area office at 970-725-6200 (M-F, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.).